11/08/2014

Finally a month later I get to type up my birth story! Becoming a mum I've learnt there just isn't enough time in the day to get all the things you want done, done. Its impossible lol

Okay here we go, sorry for any rambles, but I do go into details :D

We'd had a heat wave here where I lived, and being it was so hot I thought this horrendous 'heat rash' in the late stages of my pregnancy was normal. I always heard stories and comments of pregnancy being a struggle in the heat and I thought severe itching was part of that I suppose. But it became unbearable to a point id get up at 5am for a cold bath to soothe my skin, rubbing ice lollies onto my feet and legs (as well as eating them lol), soaking tea towels in cold water and putting them on my body, and also putting my feet in ice cold water. Nothing was working. At night id be so tense I don't know how I managed to sleep. In the end cutting a huge list short I resorted to ringing into the maternity department at my local hospital. To which I was basically made to feel like an idiot and be told to just make an appointment with my GP, I was spoken to so rudely. After the call being in such a state feeling as if I literally was going into itchy insanity I cried my eyes out in despair as no one would help me. Not even a bit of advice or a recommendation of cream to try. Useless.

A week later, I posted on facebook to my family and friends seeing if they would offer any advice. I got a message from my cousin to say ring the ward. I was really hesitant to ring up again thinking I would be spoken to so rudely again. But I took a chance and dialled. They said straight away I need to come in. So I rang my mum and she came to pick me up. She convinced me to bring my labour and hospital bag with me (just incase). I wasent thinking anything of it really maybe theyd just give me a cream prescription or something.

I got to the ward, they took my stats, blood, and they did a monitoring on the baby with her heart beat bumping out into the ward (this I loved hehe). I probably at this point hadn't realized there was any danger at all, standard procedure I thought.My blood work came back to which I was horrified to discover I had developed a condition during pregnancy called obstetric cholestasis (OC). Which to my horror puts my baby at high risk of still
birth, or sudden death in the womb. I was literally seething at the midwife I spoke to who just brushed me off that time I called. She could have mentioned the possibility of this condition. Apparantely the consultant said normal readings are 40 and mine were over 209. so baby was at very high risk and they needed to get baby out as quickly as possible as she was no longer considered safe.

I had to be induced, well that was the plan. So throughout the day with constant monitors on me to keep a close eye on the baby, the midwife came in to insert the gel to get things going, as she was doing the internal she stopped and looked puzzled. I thought 'oh god what's wrong, am I disfigured inside or something?'. But no, luckily for me she said 'I don't think I want to be inserting this after all, your already 2-3cm and dilating yourself. I was going into labour on my own. What a coincidence.

I then had to wait until 4cm to go over to delivery suite. I was SO excited by this point. Even writing this reminds me of the joy of knowing I was going to have my baby girl anytime soon.

I was taken to delivery suite, brought into a nice little room. To my delight I had a great big birthing ball. Which is what I wanted to spend as long of my labour on to speed things along as fast as possible. I had to wait for my partner Reese to get to the hospital as they wanted to burst my waters but it was so important to me he was here for that. As I wanted him to be there throughout the main labour part. He arrived to me, and straight away it was like they jumped at me with this giant rod with a hook on it and popped both my waters. Which I must say was a highlight of mine throughout labour. Very strange feeling, but amazing relief also like I was going for a very much needed wee lol.

The monitors I was on ment I couldn't pace around the room I had to either decide where I wanted to set myself up and stay there otherwise it was such a hassle moving everything around. I wanted an active labour where I could walk and bend and do whatever I needed to keep moving. The best I got was the birthing ball which made me very happy. It kept me in such control with rhythmic motion and breathing. I was like a women on a mission getting through each contraction. I was 5.5cm before I needed codeine (painkillers). I hadent had anything before this. After a while I decided the bed might be easier and I could get some rest. Which I did and next thing I remember is waking up whaling around on the bed screaming for Reese to get the midwife. It was an AWFUL pain and I started to panic. He proceded to wander around the room pacing not knowing what to do. So I therefore carried on shouting things like 'DOOR, MIDWIFE, GO, PLEASE.' She came in and then she gave me gas and air. I was 7cm. I then had some pethidine and can honestly say these two forms of pain relief are amazing, and would be my first choice next baby (yes i'd do it all again).

It was time to push and I must say I found it was most tramatic when they took the gas and air away. It was my best friend. But nevertheless I grabbed my knees and with all my might and everything I had in me. I pushed my beautiful baby out as hard as I could. All of a sudden everyone was telling me to feel for the babys head with my hands. I shakily reached down scared to death of what I was about to feel, I felt the top of her head. And well that was it. This baby was coming out NOW. I screamed in my head ' I WANT MY BABY!' and pop there she was, with a lot more gore involved.

My baby was finally here, she didn't cry at all but all was fine. Her eyes wide open taking everything in. She was placed on my chest and it was the most special moment of my whole life. The emotion I felt was so overwhelming I just sobbed and kissed her little head over and over again.

I'd had such a journey to get to this long awaited moment you see, I had lost two babies prior to this baby, but that's another post in itself which i'm still struggling to write. It hurt so much to think I may never hold my babies in my arms. But here I was with a little girl of my very own at last.

Her name was Penelope (Penny), weighing 7.3 pounds. Perfect in every single way.

I am so greatful for her, I really am. She's the best thing to happen in my life. I beam with pride at everything she does and coo's. This little human being is ours, belongs to our family and will always have my heart in the palm of her hands...My life feels lighter, fluffier, and a WHOLE lot more positive since she arrived.